Walking trail: Fothergill rock garden

In 1766, it was thought that Dr John Fothergill introduced one of the first Rock Gardens to the UK. The Rock Garden, which can be seen today, is thought to be inspired by the original, using a similar layout, position and plant choice. Fothergill built up an extensive collection of rare and interesting plants. Fothergill was a plant hunter and collector. At the time it was common place to commission artists to paint the various plant species in great detail, in order to categorise them. During his lifetime, Fothergill commissioned several famous artists to draw, paint and record his plants, trees and shrubs. After his death, Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, purchased the collection and took them to Russia where for a long time they remained forgotten. In the 1980’s the Chief Curator of the Komarov Botanical Library in St Petersburg discovered the pictures still within their original wrapping. The paintings still remain in St Petersburg today.

The plants in this area are mainly Alpine and grasses such as Lilyturf, Ophiopogon nigrescens and a collection of Aquilegias, Sedums and various bulbs planted under the shade of a beautiful magnolia tree, Magnolia X soulangeana.

According to the weekly bird surveys this area of the Ornamental Gardens is popular with various birds. We have regular sightings of sparrows, blue tits and robins. Rarer birds such as green woodpeckers have been reported to have bred in the park and sparrow hawks have been sighted in the park with their young. It is possible to see them above the park’s tennis courts, teaching their young how to catch prey.